Memory: Brain basis (Neurocognition)

Evidence for two memory systems?: See Nee et al (2007) article and ppWilliam James (1900): Made Primary-Secondary memory distinctionEvidence for different types of memory: Brain damage studies – H. M & K. C.PET studies: Brain evidence for Tulving’s HERA model (separate Episodic vs. semantic memory systems)Cognitive studies supporting separate memory systems: serial order effects

Nee, et al., STM/LTM article• Damage to

Medial Temporal produced LTM deficits while leaving STM in tact. Inferior Temporal = LT visual pattern recognition deficits

Medial and Inferior Temporal lobes

Perisylvian cortex: STM disruptions

STM/LTM distinction: Behavioral evidence – Serial Order Effect

Models of Memory 1:Boxes in Head Model of memory (Attkinson & Shiffrin,

1970’s)

• SR – STM – LTM• Each distinguishable based on:- Duration- Representation- Loss- Capacity

Atkinson & Shiffrin 3 box model of memory

Diagram of Three-Stage Memory Model

Enhancing Memory

Properties of STM: Early Studies• Waugh/Norman (1965): Early experimental test List of numbers presented7 9 5 1 2 9 3 8 6 4 3 7 2 (tone)Tone marks repeated number; must recall number

coming after repeated number first time (answer: 9)Two variables: rate of presentation: (1/sec; 4/secNumber of intervening items (1-13)If decay then rate should be criticalIf interference then number of itemsNo effect of rate; significant effect of items.

Memory 2: Structures and Processes

STM: Processes – decay or displacement?Waugh & Norman (1965)3 4 1 9 6 8 2 1 (beep) var: presentation rate (1-4/sec); # of intervening items (1-13).Maintenance of information in STM: necessity of rehearsal – Brown/Peterson TechniqueEncoding of information in STM: predominance of acoustic codes – Conrad’s confusion matricesVisual codes: Posner Paradigm, mental rotation studiesSemantic codes: Wicken’s release from PI studiesSTM influence by both SR (early) and LTM (late)

Brown/Peterson Technique: Trigram: KNP; 517; backwards by 3 from number for variable amount of time,

by 15-18 seconds trigram goneConrad’s confusion Matrix: Visually presented letters; recall in order; record mistakes; mistakes based on

sound or visual image F-P or G-PPosner Paradigm: Letter matching A-a; A-A; visual significantly faster than name until about 1

sec delay.Wickens Release from PIDogs – distracter-recall; dogs-distracter-recall; dogs-d-r; then switchSternberg TaskSearch set (1-6 digits); Comparison number; yes/no part of set?Ex: 6 9 2 5 (9=yes) (7=no)RT’s increase linearly with set size; RT for yes and no equal. Serial/Exhaustive

search.

Mental rotation studies

STM Processes (cont.)

• Retrieval from STM: parallel or serial search; self-terminating or exhaustive?

• Sternberg paradigm: indicates serial/exhaustive search

Baddeley’s Model of Working MemoryCentral executiveVisio-spatial sketchpadPhonological loop Episodic buffer

Baddeley’s Model of Working memory